Looper-actuating mechanism for sewing-machines.



A. H. DE VOE.

'LOOPER ACTUATING MECHANISMFOR SEWING MACHHVES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 5. 1911.

Patented Nov. 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

A. H. DE VOE. LOOPER ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 5. I917.

Patented Nov, 5, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY if il.

ALBERT H. DE VOE, OF WESTFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGN'OR TO THE SINGER MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Original application filed of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trooper-Actuating Mechanisms for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawin This invention relates to chain-stitch sewing machines, more particularly of the cyhnder-bed type, and has for an ob ect to provide a simplified and wear-resist ng looperactuating mechanism, for machules of the type referred to, WhlCll shall comprise but few operative parts so connected as to operate quietly and efliciently at high. speed.

To these ends, the looper-actuatmg mechanism may be embodied in a sewing machme frame having a transversely extending body portion, within which the main-shaft is housed, and a downwardly and horlzontally extending, hollow, L-shaped, work-supporting arm whose free end terminates beneath an overhanging head supported by a bracket arm joined to the body-portion of the frame. In the present instance, the lopper 1s housed within the free end-portion of the Worksupporting arm and is supported by a looper-carrier whlch 1s ad ustably clamped about one end of a looper-supportmg shaft journaled within and lengthwise of the work-supporting arm for rockmg and ending movements. The opposite end of the looper-shaft carries a crank-arm which is freely connected to the lower endor a looper-actuating lever whose upper end 1s strapped to embrace a spherlcally surfaced eccentric on the main-shaft. The looperactuating lever is connected between its ends to the horizontal portion of the work-supporting arm by means of a slngle movable member or anchor-link which is dlsposed substantially in the plane of action of the looper-actuating link or, in other words, 1s disposed in a plane substantially parallel to the vertical plane through the looper-shaft.

The anchor-link, in effect, aflords a movable fulcrum for said looper-actuating lever. The stresses imposed upon the anchor-link are of tension and compression only, as distinguished from bending stresses, and the use of a single anchordinls, in lieu of a more Specification of Letters Eatent.

rch a1, 1916, Serial 1%. 85,535. Divided and. this 1917. Seria11o.159,88"7.

- the main-shaft.

LOOPEB-ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR, SEWING-MACHINES.

Patented Nov. a, rare.

application filed April 5,

elaborate system of connections with the frame, makes for simplicity, durability, and freedom from lost motion.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine-head of the feed-oif-the-arm type showing the workarm in section to reveal the looper mechanism housed therein. Fig. 2 is an end elevation. Fig. '3 is a cross-section through the machine in a vertical plane parallel with Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the looper-actuating mechanism alone, and Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views.

The invention, in its preferred embodiment, is incorporated in a sewing machine having a frame comprising a body-portion 1 which is adapted to be supported in the manner disclosed in my copending applica tion, Serial No. 85,535, filed March 21, 1916, of which this application is a division, and at its opposite ends is provided with bearings 2 and 3 for the main-shaft 4: one end of which is extended beyond the frame and carries a hand-wheel 5. The main-shaft 4 is driven by means of the pulley-wheel 6 and carries various driving elements among which is included the spherically surfaced loeper-actuating eccentric T.

Extending downwardly and rearwardly from the body-portion 1 is a hollow L shaped work-arm 8 comprising a substantially vertical. portion 9 and a substantially horizontal portion 10 supporting a throatplate 11. Disposed directly above the free end of the work-arm 8 is the head 12 having a laterally projecting boss 13 connected to the body-portion 1 by a channeled bracketarm 14 disposed above and at one side of the work-arm 8 as shown in Fig. 2.

In the present instance, the machine is fitted with a pair of needles 15 which are arranged in a plane inclined to the direction of feed and are supported by the needle-bar 16 which is reciprocated in the bearing bushings 17 carried by the head 12. A split collar 18 surrounds the needle-bar 16 and is clamped thereon by a screw 19. This collar carries a pin 20 embraced by the lower end of a link 21 whose upper end embraces V a crank-pin 22 projecting from the flat face 23 of the bevel-gear 24 mounted on one end of a short shaft 25 journaled in the bearing boss 13. A collar 26 cooperates with the.

bevel-gear 2% to hold the shaft 25 in place.

2 I 1,aee,47e

Meshing with the bevel-gear 24 is a similar position of the path of the ball and congear 27 carried by one end of the down: sequently varylng the path of movement of wardly inclined shaft 28 {ournaled in the the loopers. To revent accidental turning bearings 29 and 30. The ower end of the movement of the ever 46, 47, the lower end shaft 28 projects into the hollow housing or thereof is provided with two laterally probody portion 1 and carries a bevel-gear 31 Jectm spaced lugs 54, which embrace a which meshes with a driving gear 32 secured heade portion 55 projecting from the ball to the main-shaft 4. I 45, and connected thereto by a reduced neck 'A resser-foot 33 is pivoted at 34 to a 56 as shown in Fig. 6. shank 35 carried by the presser-bar 36 While I have shown and described the mounted behind the needle-bar 16 in the preferred embodiment of the invention it is head 12. The usual spring 37 and lifting to be understood that the form and arrangelever 38 are employed to lower and raise the ment of the various parts are susceptible of -f t, material modification within the scope of Cooperating with the needles 15 are-two the Invention as defined in the appended 3 thread-carrying loo ers 40 secured to a clalms. The looper-actuating lever need not looper-support 41 ad ustably clamped on one necessarlly have its fulcrum point between end of the rocking and endwise movable 1ts ends, as in the embodiment illustrated, looper-shaft 42 extending within and but may be a lever of any of the three known lengthwise of the horizontal portion 10 of ty es. v the work-arm. Adjustably clamped around avlng thus set forth the nature of the the other end of looper-shaft 42 is a splitlnvention, What I claim herein is collar 43 carrying a crank-arm 44 having a 1. Looper operating mechanism for sewball end-portion 45 received in a socket in mg machlnes comprising, a frame, mainthe lower end-portion 46 of a looper-actuatshaft, a looper mounted for loop-taking and in "lever whose upper end-portion 47 emneedle-avolding movements, and driving braces the spherically surfaced driving ecconnections between said main-shaft and centric 7 on the main-shaft. The lower endlooper including a rocking and endwise ortion 46 of the looper-actuating lever 1s movable lever pivotally connected at one threaded at 48 and screwed into a correpoint along its length with said .looper, and

'spondingly threaded opening in the upper a link connected at one end to another point portion 47 to which it is securely held by a along the length of said lever and at the lock-nut 49. A ball 50 formed on the lower other end to a stationary part of the maportion 46. of the looper-actuating lever 15 chine, whereby a movable fulcrum for said connected by a link 51 to another ball elelever is provided. ment 52 formed between the ends of a pin 2. Looper operating mechanism for sew- 53 extending horizontally across the end of ing machines comprising, a main-shaft, a

the horizontal section 10 of the work-arm looper, a looper-supporting shaft mounted 8 and fitted tightly in holes therein as shown for rocking and endwise sliding movements,

in Fig. 3. T e link 51 is strapped at its a crank-arm on said shaft, a rocking and opposite ends to embrace the ball-elements endwise movable lever connected at one 50 and 52, respectively. It will be seen that point in its length to said crank-arm and the driving eccentric 7 will raise and lower at another point to said main-shaft, and a the looper-actuating lever 46, 47 causing it link connected at one end to a third point to rock the looper-shaft 42 and lmpart loopin the length of said lever and at the other taking and loop-shedding movements to the end to a stationary part of the machine, loopers. -At the same tlme the eccentric 7 whereby a movable fulcrum for said lever is will rock the lever 46, 47 about the ball-andprovided.

socket connection with the anchor-link 51 asv 3. Looper operating mechanism for sew- ,a fulcrum and thereby impart side-wise or ing machines comprising, a main-shaft, a

needle-avoiding movements to the loopers. looper, a looper-supporting shaft mounted The actuating mechanism between the ectransversely of the main-shaft for rocking centric ball and the looper-shaft 42 is seen and endwise sliding movements, and actuatto be devoid of shdable conneetions and ing connections between said shafts includcomprlses but four workmg omts; The ing a rocking and endwise movable lever simple lmk 51 1s used to connect the fulcrum a li k connected t one nd to s id l 1 ball 50 with the fixed ball 52 and, since the and at the other end to a fixed part of the lever 46, '47 and link 51 operate substanmachine, the plane of said lever and link tially in a plane parallel to the looper-shaft lying substantially parallel to the looper- 42, it is obvious that the link is subjected to supporting shaft, whereby the reaction of lengthwise stresses only, due to the reaction said lever is transmitted directl alon said of the lever 46, 47. By adjustmg the length link to said fixed part of the miichine 0f the lever 46, 47 the posltlon 0f the ball 50 4, In a, ewing machine, in combination relatively to the eccentric 7 and fixed ball 52 a f m having hollow body-portion d may be altered, this changi g th h pe a a downwardly and horizontally extending 13 and said main-shaft, and a link connected at one end to said lever and fixed at its opposite and within the horizontally extending portion of the Work-arm V 5. Looper operating mechanism for sewing machines comprising, a frame, a looper, a looper-supporting shaft journaled in said frame for rocking and endwise movements, at crank-arm on said looper-supporting shaft, a main-shaft extending transversely of said looper supporting shaft, an eccentric driving element on said main-shaft, a lever con nectlng said eccentrlc driving element Wlth said crank-arm, and a link connected at one end to said lever at a point spaced from said driving element and crank-arm and at its opposite end anchored to the frame.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification ALBERT H. DE VOE. 

